Imagine your partner is highly intelligent and you know there is a good heart there. He shows his love by holding doors open for you, giving you all the material things he thinks you might ever need. He shows that he cares by making the effort of joining you on your visits to family every so often. He fixes things for you around the house out of love and he tells funny anecdotes during dinner parties. These are some of the ways he shows his devotion.

Now… does this scenario below sound remotely familiar, at least in tone?

Question to my partner: “Do you want to go to the park and feed the ducks?”

Response: “We could go to the park and feed the ducks.”

One might think this is a positive response but really, has the actual question been answered? What if this is most often the type of response you receive? Would you feel you are making your partner happy? Or do you find yourself wondering if your partner is even permitting you to get to know them, to allow you to take a part in making them happy?

So, instead do you liken ‘conversations’ to parallel monologues? Often my partner does this is by keeping all his thought processes inside and a final decision is expressed verbally with virtually no discussion. Moreover, the result can still give no clue as to their personal preferences! It doesn’t just happen with the little things but also more important matters.

Try these other scenarios:

What if you ask your partner why they enjoy a particular sport, which they play several times a week, but they seem unable to express why, they ‘just do’?

Imagine you’ve just taken a week off work to go on holiday and you are looking forward finally to spend some quality time with your other half. You are both on the plane when your parter tells you that he will go play squash every other day during the vacation, several hours at a time with friends, and when he says this he has absolutely no idea he has just hurt you and doesn’t understand why you are upset.

Now imagine trying to discuss your future together, anything which would involve expressing how you feel. In particular you are particularly concerned about trying to determine how your partner feels on topics that are important to you, in order to work things through and reach an agreement or happy compromise. What if, almost always, your partner takes most of what you say as personal criticism and turns into a ball of agitated anxiety, starts fidgeting, edges towards the door and exits, ending the discussion before it had even got going?

The result is the feeling that you’ve never had a deep conversation with your other half. All these basic important matters feel forever unresolved and you cannot recall a time when a plan has ever been mutually agreed (without a painful, annoying bust up).

Whenever it is obvious you are upset and angry with these unsatisfactory exchanges his response in order to make you happy again is to take you out for dinner because he does not know what else to do. He does not know what to say. He keeps his mouth shut for fear of upsetting you further, and you are flabbergasted that he just doesn’t engage in a proper conversation or say the most obvious things that would help.

You try to explain everything from your point of view in simple honest terms in every which way possible. Explanations which everyone else you are acquainted with would understand. Instead his response betrays the fact he still does not get where you are coming from or what you are getting at and you are left wondering does he even know me?

You may at some point tell him to leave you alone, though you stand there in the hope he will see that you just want a hug but he misses the cue completely, leaves you alone as requested and of course does not understand why you are upset thereafter.

Despite all this, you know he is trying his best.

It can take literally years to identity these patterns of behaviour and oddities. If you can relate, perhaps like me you have wondered if your partner is on the autistic spectrum. That might be true to some extent. What is less well known but definitely worth considering is a personality construct or trait, which comes with varying degrees of severity, called Alexithymia, the Greek for ‘no words for emotions’. A person with the condition is called an Alexithymic or Alexithymiac and will experience difficulty identifying and describing emotions in the self and in others. Despite experts saying it affects about 1 in 10 people, there is remarkably little information available about the trait.

However, besides Wikipedia, a particularly good detailed description of Alexithymia posted by an alexithymic can be found on You Tube:

I believe Alexithymia impacts me, through my partner, by presenting as insensitivity, his inability to ‘see’ me and an inability to understand how I feel. This can translate to a near total lack of emotional support.

It all sounds rather gloomy but one must remember that Alexithymia does not mean not having emotions, just difficulty deciphering them or ‘connecting the dots’ and therefore it is much harder knowing what to do (including how not to upset other people).

When trying to have difficult conversations, what I have found surprisingly useful is to use ‘I’ statements rather than ‘you’ ones. Also helpful is the use of positive reinforcement.

Lastly, how can I personally tell that my partner loves me? I see it in the way he looks at me; in our joint photos it’s a look often captured on camera! I acknowledge his efforts and limitations. I take note and appreciate the things he does for me and no-one else.

I’ve been compelled To write something for a long time, but, you know, busy lives n all…My name is Tracey and (Cough), I’m a hypnotherapist

For me, saying I’m a hypnotherapist makes me squirm a little, because either people think I’m a bit spooky or they think, Oooo! Can you cure phobias?! (They obviously don’t ask about weight loss as I like to carry my cake around on my body).

Hypnotherapy is somewhat misunderstood, as something that happens to you, a magic pill and therefore cannot be trusted. Sometimes it can be a magic pill for people but like any plaster over an untreated wound, if the wound isn’t treated it just takes longer to heal.

Work gets done by us, the wound treated, by you.

I suppose before I begin my ‘rant’ firstly I’d like to caveat, that I think counselling and psychotherapy and all the listening arts are fantastic for the right people at the right time, my difficulty is with years of ongoing therapy where the relationship lacks comfort and support but each week an hour is spent, pulling up all the things that could have been done better. I’m not one for spending time reinforcing the many ways I fail.

In the same way that baths are fantastic; there is something lovely about a bath, when you have time for a bath and when you’re in the mood for a bath, and the bath can be so much more than just washing, it is a whole experience. The only thing with Bathing, is more often than not you never feel quite clean, swilling around in your dirty water and if its too hot you come out all sweaty and pulpy and sometimes the water can get too cold and you never quite warm up the water enough, or come out feeling a bit more chilled than when you started. That said, sometimes you have THE perfect bath, making it totally worth it.

The thing with Hypnotherapy (and I liken this to all my clients) is that it’s like a damn fine power - shower; it does the job its intended to do, especially if you don’t have time on your side, you want results; quick and simple. You jump in and out of the shower, sometimes take your time and enjoy the experience, other times just a quickie. No matter what, you are not hanging out being cosseted by your dirty water, you are washing the dirt away, scrubbing the dirt, if need be, and if you need that extra time and warmth, its new and fresh water that cossets.

Both do clean you but in far different ways.

The reason that I’m writing this blog is that whenever I had counselling in the past or whenever I see clients have had counselling, more often than not the counsellors never ‘close the deal’, rarely finish the project and yes we’re not ever ‘finished’ but we do have chapters in our lives and sometimes those chapters need to be closed with the efficiency of having quick shower. I think we have a belief sometimes, that we have a beginning an end, that we become a finished project. Ticking the box for self actualisation; “Tick” I have reached the top of my peak! -Forgetting the peak is just one of many mountain tops in the range, there is no beginning nor end, just different times with different people, and hopefully a bit of self learning along the way so we don’t keep walking up the same mountain.

My learning may not be great and maybe quite ordinary and usual. When I trained to be a counsellor, I knew I wanted to learn how to help people, probably because I have had so many times in my own life when I was crippled by loneliness or fearful of new things and needing some support away from family and friends. But through finding help, I discovered that I too wanted to help, to be there for people and give them tools for not just survival, victory!

Counselling wasn’t for me, because when I needed help; I wanted answers, solutions, more than understanding, my life was a Rubix cube that I wanted to solve, not by pulling it apart and sticking it back together; by ability, by understanding what to do, but sitting in counselling (for me) felt like some riddle where the therapist knew the answers and I didn’t.

If I had a leak in my sink, I I would call a plumber in and I would ask and expect the plumber to fix it.I wouldn’t expect the plumber to stand at the bathroom door and watch me trying to fix the leak, saying, “oooo! warmer” “Nearly there” -maybe giving me pointers on what to do. I don’t expect that in any other industry and the same goes for counselling/ psychotherapy. Counsellors have had all this knowledge, training and understanding and they observe their clients fumbling around deconstructing their lives in a desperate attempt to fix their immediate problems.

Yes, there is room for taking things steady and gently, but there is more room for cracking on and fixing the problem.

I am all for autonomy and being self-sufficient as a client, and I believe that as clients we need more from our therapists.

We can choose to take onboard the therapists’ learning, and choose to filter, accept or reject what is suggested, as therapists who have spent years in training, this is the least we owe to our practice: Autonomy through respecting that people know what’s right or wrong for them. When we go to therapy, we already know something is ‘wrong’ and we are ready to change. We need answers, solutions, the “how’ to do it and someone to help us close the deal so we can tackle the whole mountain range.

For me, Hypnotherapy is not just about the magic pill, it’s about finding answers; walking away with the tools to get the job done and knowing exactly how to do it.

Hypnotherapy is the wonderful and effective combination of both psychotherapy and hypnosis, at the right point, the right time.

We are all stuck within our life mazes, all of us, and like any maze, when you're in it, it's hard sometimes to know which way to turn, or which way is the right way to go.

The great thing about hypnotherapy is that you have someone there for you- that can see into your life maze; that can help you with the twists and turns.

We aren't invested in your outcome other than we want what is best for you.

Of course you can talk with family and friends but there will always be an investment in their opinion because they are family or friends; there will always be influence. The great thing about the therapeutic hour (before even discussing Hypnosis), is that you can say whatever you like, worry free. We don't get offended, nor judge- we are just there for you and your well being. To help make things better.

How liberating and cathartic can that be?

THEN... The hypnosis part, once you can see your maze from this new perspective, the hypnosis can get in 'there' and really make some changes, as it engages your subconscious mind and invites it to change, knowing that change is the best thing for you to do. After all, that's why you are here.

Right down deep in our core, we want to survive, and sometimes, somewhere along the line, that message has got lost or misinterpreted. So once the subconscious mind comes on board, well, then, lets face it, in todays' age, anything is possible.

Sometimes, I have the privilege to work with incredibly bright, articulate and responsive clients to whom creativity heals. It is with honour and gratitude that I have been invited to post this beautiful piece.

Meditation on survival

Let my scars stay with me from the small to the ugly and jagged. Although I wear the type that can’t be easily seen or felt, they are still mine to own. I will display them proudly because I know that none were a mortal wound. I am still here. The years will fade and so will they. Yet I will keep them close to me as a memento of lessons learn’t. It will be with life’s battles that I shall have a high head and a full heart. For I know that my victories depend on failure. A new set of scars to display.

I am reminded of just how lucky I am, that through pain I too have found what gives me peace, and discovered ways to allow my creativity to heal through the work I do.... When I say work, I mean the joy of being able to do what I love.

At the moment “Narcissists” / “Narcissism” seems to be rather in fashion, thanks probably due to our visual networking era, and no doubt Trump has championed one of the viler ends of the scale, bringing the sheer disbelief that can be attached to Narcissistic behaviour to the fore- and yes, at the Psychotic end of the scale Narcissists and their acts are really unbelievable.

Of course, there is a scale; from the out and out Psychopaths to the, put bluntly, f@*king selfish.

And of course there is the ‘nature’ aspect of our history to consider, when back in ye olde days, hunters had to have focus and single mindedness to hunt prey, and others needed the unity, sharing and supporting each other skills for survival, really important for those who weren’t the hunters of the communities.

So lets think about it in terms of the careless cat and doting dog.

The BASIC measures of what makes a Narcissist a Narcissist are;

They lack empathy, which inhibits their capacity to love and care, in addition,

They are the centre of their own universe,

They deep down believe they are more special, the chosen ones,

All those traits together mean they have a drive, an aim; to be adored and desired and get as much attention as they can….. Any attention. So they are constantly prowling for the best attention givers that suit their individual needs that they can find.

This creates a magnetic, almost magical draw for Empaths, people pleasers, and those of us who don't feel 'good enough'- as the Narcissist always wants to be pleased and people pleasers always want to please, and the, not good enoughs will always keep trying… An all this works until one of them gets tired, exhausted by trying or by keeping the mask up.

Because a Narcissist feels little to no empathy, love to them is foreign, love to us, (those of us with empathy) is endless, bigger than the universe, unquantifiable, abundant…. All those glorious terms that come with love.

But to the Narcissist what they believe to be ‘love’ is limited… Because without empathy, love is, well, different.

Love to a Narcissist is solid and objectified, it has a limit, it is attention based, so the common label for what Narcissists feel as ‘love’ is, ‘supply’- ‘What can you give ME?’

A cat will leave you if you don’t give to it what it wants, a cat will find prey just to play, hungry or not.

To gain their supply, (love) the Narcissist subconsciously (and consciously) tests through expectation;

The first item on their relationship check list is-

Do you adore them, will you adore them?

and secondly,

Will you be able to supply and cater to their needs?

If you can't or don’t you’re out, if you can and do, you’re…milked.

OR..... You may be a slow burner and kept in the background until they think you’re ready.

Rarely does a Narcissist go without supply.

What are your warning signs?

How dog are you?

Have you:

A strong desire to help people, (you may have grown up being rewarded for making your family happy).

More patience than most?

More tolerant than most?

More acceptant than most?

More empathy than most; an Empath?

A career with glamour; be it physical, intellectual or indeed, spiritual?

Glamorous friends and contacts?

Earning potential?

Have a helpful social standing for their needs?

Most importantly

Do you give unconditional love?

Do you put other people’s needs before your own?

Do you believe the good will come if you try harder?

Do you tirelessly really work at things?

If so, you may need:

More protection,

More boundaries,

More strength,

More of those things that 'regular' people take for granted, You need to create more to protect yourself from Narcissistic influencers.

If you have a snippet of doubt that something feels off, any doubt at all, check your boundaries;

Compare- think about how much you have done for this one person that perhaps you don’t do for other people,

Listen, really listen to what your friends say, because you are more dog, chances are your friends will be really solid.

Consider- have you made more exceptions to accommodate the cat in your life?

If so, then,

Strengthen your boundaries and see if they get pushed, and if they do, make your boundaries firmer, practice the art of ‘NO’ by saying 'yes' and slowly distance yourself as much as you can, and work on YOU. Slowly build up your confidence, your strength, your resolve to get away.

The distance will give you strength, getting to know yourself and your vulnerabilities will make you stronger. Learn to trust your instincts and not your grooming.

If you suffer from anxiety, low self esteem, dodgy self worth, certain phobias, performance dread..... For all sorts of reasons you may feel overwhelmed this month.

Everything becomes MORE, more sound more vision stresses more excitable people, more everything. If you have a sensitive system (and many of us do) this can easily get drained quickly with everything being so temporarily different.

-Not forgetting the, I shouldbe happybecause it's Christmas, a recipe for even more anxiety, the self questioning, what's wrong with me? Why aren't I more happy?!

What about being single at this hideously romantic time, or knowing you don't have that family squeezed on the sofa, something that you would really want, not just for Christmas, for life? Dreading that, "So what are you doing for Christmas?" question.

Yeah, nothing is wrong with you, it's just THAT time of year.

That's all very well I hear you think, but what can you do ?!

OK so, 5 tips........

1. Get the present buying DONE- One less stress.

If people love or like you then they should love / like the gift, because it's from you. Put in some thought of how you know them and what you think they may like, and remember, you're not a mind reader, you can only do what you can do.

2. Breathe.

Breathe into your tummy- when we're anxious our breathing becomes shallow, so take time to breathe several times into your tummy, you can add a mantra if you like, I find something like, "this hell will be over soon enough and I can go to bed and be happy"- it's not conventional, but it works.

3. Joyful Hell

Fake it 'till you make it- If you can. Pretend to have fun, until the hell is over- you've got to be there anyway. It IS hell, find solace in the fact that humans are designed to adapt, we have the ability to feel many things at once so why not try to feel two things, joy that it's soon over and the hell of the time..... Just don't pretend too much, you don't want people to invite you again next year.

4. REST

Take time in between the Christmas busy to recharge, if you have to make sacrifices- Make them. Better to enjoy a few things than be miserable in everything....Surely?

So do the usual, the regular- eat well, sleep, meditate if you like that, find some quiet space or a fab piece of music. Theres a great app called 'Relax melodies' where you can create your own sounds, if that type of thing works for you.

5. Remember, It's not you, it's your environment.

Once we know the anxiety is heightened, figure out why, from family members and crowded rooms to crowds in the street and flashing Christmas decorations, it can even be just feeling uncomfortable, once you know it's your environment, you know- IT WILL SOON BE OVER!

How to OWN the yard.

2. Everyone in the school playground is, thinking about THEMSELVES… And their child being the best. No-one actually has anytime for you and yours, let alone what you're doing to survive.

3. Have three questions lined up rehearsed and ready. Yes! It may seem bizarre but It works to be prepared even with seemingly inane casual chatter- None knows whats inside your head.

4. Invite mums ‘in’, use your body by turning yourself to mums mid chat or stepping back to include them, and then ask them what they think, this sets a precedence moving forward, people will subconsciously learn you are safe and inclusive and will more likely gravitate to you in the yard.

5. This is not you. You are mother, lover, friend, independent woman, who do you want to be? You can create whatever sort of yard self you want…. You can walk through the gates like Daenerys walking through the flames (ideally with clothes) into a yard of Dothraki. Just have fun….Know one knows what goes on in your mind.

If in doubt, hypnosis can help too. You can feel a strong, confident player in the yard.

Guest Blog.

The Transformative Nature of Unrequited Love

Whether the relationship was completely imagined, partially begun, or deeply developed, most people have experienced that moment of realisation that it will never be. However, through the pain of unrequited love, the potential for transformation is one of the more powerful and positive reactions.

Our minds can focus on self-improvement when we a yearning for another, because if the self that is rejected is not the person you wish to be, we can often vow to be better. All of the facets of your life that you swore you would improve one day can come keenly into focus. Whether your intention is to lose some weight, spruce up your appearance or become the accomplished individual that you always wanted to be, unrequited love can motivate you to finally pursue your goals.

Having met a seemingly great guy online, he simply disappeared one day. He was French, handsome and had an appealing lifestyle. From the beginning, I was flattered by his attention, and even before he vanished, the transformation had begun. I started to commit to a diet and shed weight. Within 3 weeks, I had dropped the dress size, which I had been trying to lose for the past 2 years. Next, I had always wanted to learn a second language, as I used to cringe at the thought that I had never been able to master one despite having classes at school. Unbeknownst to him, I found myself secretly studying French again! Most importantly, I looked at my life and work. I wondered what had happened to the freelance writing that I had started successfully, but had not pursued for nearly 6 months, and I started to write again.

When he disappeared, I felt so rejected, and I began to questioning why the relationship did not work out. My deepest insecurities surfaced, and I was tempted to sink into the doldrums, but it was precisely the sting of not being accepted that fuelled my commitment to finally take the positive steps, which I had considered for so long. I decided that I did not want to be in the same predicament ever again. I did not want to meet someone, and wonder why I was not introducing them to the person that I knew that I could be with a little more effort. I continued to stick to my diet, learn French and made writing a new focus in my career.

From time to time I have the great fortune of my path crossing with some wonderful people, I'd like to thank this lovely author for this beautiful piece on change.

As a Hypnotherapist, I believe that if we have 'been there' mentally before, we can re-establish those brain patterns, and what more powerful behaviour action could there be than being in love?

Perhaps sometimes we get beaten down in our day to day lives to forget how in love we are with our partner and sometimes we just need a gentle nudge or reminder to activate those mechanisms. Perhaps love feels like a distant memory of a relationship gone by. Whether it is changing our weight or feeling a little spiritually lighter, it can sometimes be really thought evocative to consider,

'What would I do right now if I were in the throes of being in love?'

Have a think, it may be surprising, it may even give you that glimmer of cheer and give you something to act on.

A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…

Rev Safire Rose

I saw this poem on the internet (probably Facebook) and it resonated. I have been involved in change work for such a long time and sometimes I forget how wonderful and how beautiful it is.

Change doesn't have to be 'shout from the rooftops' radical, sometimes it can be as quiet as the poem and gently, subtly we realise just how different we are and have become.

That essentially is what I love about hypnosis, our mind and our bodies want us to survive, sometimes it's as simple as a mis-programmed safety switch, other times a more complicated system of knots, but hypnotherapy gets right in there, it detangles and allows the flow, and simply helps us to let go, perhaps with fireworks but sometimes just with a gentle sigh of release. It is our own poetry; our life's poetry that somehow gets trapped inside, that hypnotherapy can release, a freedom to be ourself.

We can read all the self help books in the world, from Paul McKenna to Eckhart Tolle and some things will resonate, and we may even make those changes, but nothing beats working with someone to make those changes, to recognise the changes, someone who truly wants the best for us and are by our side through all the challenges. That's the beauty of being a change worker, I get to be that person and get to see and support the incredible changes we are all capable of doing.

In recent months, despite being in the role I have always wanted and worked towards, I have been overwhelmed with extra work; all the stuff that in running a practice is unseen, family responsibilities, the elderly dog, the dreaded admin- all areas of life have demanded immediate attention, and just like that, I became swallowed in day to day minutiae, forgetting to iron the school shirts, forgetting to notice the sunshine, forgetting to notice that I had once again turned into an, "In a minute..." mum, and I so very I quickly lost sight of the horizon, the future, the hope.

Then, I was reminded, very gently, very quietly, by this poem coming my way once more.

I cannot be 100%, 100% of the time, no one can.

I am blissfully lucky to be able to do what I do, and truly grateful, and sometimes I too forget to reflect, to do the exercises I say to my clients; to give thanks and to just let go.

To everyone to whom I have ever crossed paths with, all my lovely, wonderful clients and friends, thank you. You have always been my inspiration. I feel truly blessed to have had the chance to work with you, and to those whom I have never met that get the chance to read this beautiful poem, I hope it does just the same for you, and gives you brief release, if only for a moment.

Top five tips for burning the rubber.

1. SEE THE FUTURE: Get a picture of you slimmer or find an image that is an achievable weight on the net.

2. FEEL THE SUCESS: Every time you worry about ‘gaining’ weight or the weight you are, just think about that image, let yourself dream of being at that point. Moving freely, laughing, having fun.

3. LEARN TO BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT: you can do it; think of all of your other life achievements, you can shift a pound easily in comparison.

4. BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT: just make little different choices; decide to treat yourself to something healthy for a change, treat your body to that bit of pineapple or that blueberry smoothy, why not?

5. JUST DO IT: Go on, just treat yourself to healthy, every day. Have that lovely yogurt infront of the telly, really look forward to it, your reward at the end of the day.

If we kept saying to a child when they were learning to ride, “Look out for that bush, look out for that person, look out for that lamp post!!” What do we think will invariably happen? ....And what would happen if we kept on saying and saying and saying it?

That’s what we do when we’re scared of gaining weight or when we focus on our fat bits, so with the help of tip no1 lets focus on where we really want to go. (It’s Okay to see a positive future you know, we can just store that image in our heads and no-one will know).

Feel the sensations of being slimmer, use every sense to truly experience the future so you can excite your imagination and then your body to really want it.

It will take a little time to persuade the belief to stick, don’t worry, these things do take time… Think of how long you have persuaded yourself to eat crap food and finally believed it was good for you, it made you happy.

Eventually the awkward practice will ease off, and before you know it , you are doing your visual mantras daily just as easily as you managed to negatively do it in the past. Who knows, you may even give yourself a wolf whistle at being soon very gorgeous.

Then finally, less the pressure of performance and the fear of failure, and before you even realise it, you will be choosing the more healthy, natural options, and that spare tyre? Well, that’s for those people who are scared that something may go wrong, they may crash into a bush or something.

Go. Kick arse and burn the rubber.

And of course, that's what the Hypnotherapy can do; you can shift those old, tired, subconscious beliefs that just don’t work for you anymore, it can access that part of your mind really easily, the part that takes time and a little persistence to reach in everyday day to day life. It may be that you don’t want a one to one session, so go and have a look on youtube, there is a whole wealth of hypnosis videos for you to check out.